Grant Long to open modern lounge bar, D&W Republic, in Wynnum in June

A funky new bar with a special twist for younger partygoers is set to join one of Brisbane’s hottest and fastest growing entertainment hubs. SEE THE DETAILS

He’s owned nightclubs and restaurants in regional Queensland but now this man has become the latest business owner to join one of the hottest and fastest growing entertainment scenes in Brisbane.

Grant Long, 38, recently finalised a lease agreement to take over 64 Edith St in Wynnum’s CBD, where he will open a new modern lounge bar called D&W Republic by the end of June.

The Wakerley resident, who owned two restaurants, a bar and a nightclub in Mackay while in his 20s before returning to Brisbane in 2012 when his wife was pregnant with their first child, said one of the aims of the venue was to bring more young people to the bayside.

Grant Long at 64 Edith St, Wynnum where he will open a new bar later this year.

“The main concept is a lounge bar, serving nice cocktails, craft beers and a good range of spirits while having a little bit of a dancefloor with a DJ playing remixed house,” Mr Long said.

“A bit of a modern spin to give the younger demographic somewhere to go in the growing Wynnum entertainment hub.”

The venue will also have a bar menu with a burgers and wings theme.

Demolition works at the site, the former location of Wynnum’s Suncorp Bank which closed in 2019, are almost complete with the fit-out to start in the coming weeks.

D&W Republic will be the latest venue to boost the growing entertainment precinct in Wynnum, joining the likes of popular cocktail bar The Fat Duck, Hudson Brewing and many others including fan favourite, Cedar and Pine, which was recently named Brisbane’s best bar.

Inside 64 Edith St, Wynnum where a new bar will be opened later this year.

It will also build on the recent development boom on the bayside which has seen a shift to a younger demographic in the area.

“I have obviously seen the growth in the area, with all the unit complexes that are going up and different things happening, there’s a buzz around the place,” Mr Long said.

“The Wynnum night-life has been a fairly small market for a long time, the people who have been here have done it well, but some more people and venues coming to the area can only help in creating a hub of venues, which is a real positive step for the area.

Inside 64 Edith St, Wynnum where a new bar will be opened later this year.

“Also with my experience in the industry, I owned my first nightclub at 24-years-old, I wanted to get back into it after a while out and feel I can add something to Wynnum and it was the perfect place for this new venue.”

Benn Woods from Ray White Commerical Bayside, who was responsible for the listing, said the new venue was going to be “huge” for the area.

“With these places in Wynnum and then the others in Manly such as The Arsonist, the Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club which has been renovated and so many other venues, it’s getting to a point now where baysiders don’t have to go elsewhere to dine and eat,” he said.

Mr Woods also said the last retail space at the new Enclave residential development in Wynnum has also been leased with a Japanese restaurant, called Hajime, to open at the site in the coming months.

He said the new businesses were part of a bigger retail boom on the bayside with vacancies reducing from around 75 spaces to just 25 in Wynnum and Manly in the past 18 months.